Fire Drills Are Mandatory Once a Year — But the Real Work Starts With Who Does What

Employers who treat fire safety briefings as a box-ticking exercise are missing the point, according to a growing body of practitioner guidance that puts hands-on, scenario-based training ahead of the traditional lecture.

The legal duty to instruct staff on fire safety rests with the employer, though it is routinely handed to designated fire protection officers. Beyond mere compliance with the company fire safety code, the aim is to sharpen employees' safety awareness — and, by extension, to protect the business itself and the jobs that depend on it.

Short formats, practical materials

For practical sessions — fire extinguisher training, for instance — structured learning aids offer a fast way to get knowledge across. The toolkit includes fact sheets, index cards, labelled sketches, quiz questions, run sheets, role cards and checklists. When time is tight, the combination of a clear run sheet, a fact sheet and targeted quiz questions has proved a workable, time-saving option.

Such aids have firm limits, however. Self-made materials replace neither the required regular examinations nor expert one-to-one instruction or a live extinguishing exercise carried out under safe conditions.

Grasping the technical differences between extinguishers also remains essential. Water extinguishers are typically suited to fires involving solid materials, Class A. Foam extinguishers may be used on certain Class A and B fires, depending on their labelling. Powder extinguishers cover several fire classes depending on the powder used, but cause considerable mess when discharged. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are often intended for fires in electrical installations or involving liquids. What governs use in the workplace is always the labelling on the specific device and the company's risk assessment. Water must never be used on fat fires.

Drills: once a year at minimum, with defined roles

Evacuation drills are required at least once a year for everyone present. High-risk areas or workplaces with high staff turnover call for shorter intervals. A prompt drill is also needed after significant changes to building layouts, staffing structures or emergency systems.

Smooth execution rests on fixed assignments during the exercise:

• The lead evacuation coordinator runs the overall operation and issues the official all-clear afterwards.
• Floor wardens clear building sections room by room and record who is present.
• Assembly point supervisors check that staff arrive and report any discrepancies.
• Observers document precise timings and compare them against targets.

Defined time corridors exist for the alarm sequence, building clearance, assembly at the collection point and the attendance check. Permitted deviations are recorded in seconds or as percentage benchmarks and can be logged using standardised assessment templates.

First aid, and getting to grips with defibrillators

Training cycles for first aiders, fire safety assistants and evacuation staff must above all be practical. Panic reactions from untrained personnel are frequently cited as a leading cause of more serious accident, fire and disaster outcomes.

Targeted communication is decisive when automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are deployed at work. Every employee must know where the units are and how to reach them. Sessions ideally pair visual material with short practical demonstrations and use calm, action-oriented language to break down inhibitions about using the equipment.

In a real emergency the rescue chain follows clear steps: call the emergency services, check the casualty's responsiveness and breathing, begin chest compressions, switch on the AED and follow the device's spoken instructions. Upkeep includes a binding maintenance schedule with weekly visual checks, monthly inspections of battery and electrodes, and annual servicing by qualified personnel.